NEW PLANTS

Multiseason Marvels

- MEGHAN SHINN

EACH YEAR plant brands release exciting new cultivars to the market, the results of years of breeding, selecting, trialing and propagating. New plants are bred to enhance traits that make them stand out against comparable cultivars-and in your garden. On these pages we'll take a look at recently introduced options with more than one season of interest.

Note: Although all these plants will be sold at retail in 2024, their availability may be limited because they are new. Keep an eye out for them reaching your area in the future if you can't find them yet.

JUST CHILL RED TIP CAMELLIA CAMELLIA 'FARROWCJRF'

Just Chill Red Tip is a fall-blooming camellia that remains interesting when it's out of bloom thanks to its glossy evergreen foliage. New leaves unfold dark red with a bright green midrib then mature to deep green. From autumn into winter, pale pink flowers open with a single row of petals surrounding bright gold stamens.

Exposure: Full to part sun

Seasons of interest: Year-round for foliage; fall for flowers

Size and habit: This is an upright shrub reaching five to eight feet tall and five to six feet wide.

Growing notes: Just Chill Red Tip requires conditions typical for a fall camellia: full to part sun and moist but well-drained acidic soil. Because its flowers are produced on new growth, any pruning should take place in early spring. USDA Zones 6b-9.

FIRST EDITIONS HONEYCOMB NINEBARK PHYSOCARPUS OPULIFOLIUS 'ZLENORA'

Honeycomb ninebark makes a statement with large, vibrant chartreuse leaves that hold their color all season long, even in full sun. They make a bright backdrop to the pollinator-friendly white flowers that appear in spring. In autumn, the foliage darkens to a nice gold color. The arching stems and exfoliating bark maintains ninebark's appeal through winter.